Chapter 4 - Ancient India and China

Chapter 4 - Ancient India and China

Section 1 – Early India

Section 1 – Early India

Main Idea

Early civilization arose in the Indus River Valley, flourished, and then mysteriously died out. Later India’s Vedic civilization developed a culture based on old and new beliefs.

Focus

• How did India’s geography affect the development of civilization there?

• What were the defining features of the Indus Valley Civilization?

• What do we know about life in India’s Vedic period?

I. India’s Geography

Indus River - flows across NW edge of Indian subcontinent

A. Three major geographic zones:

1. Himalaya & Hindu Kush mountains2. Deccan Plateau

3. Northern or Indo-Gangetic Plain - site of India’s first civilization

B. Monsoons

Monsoon winds brought heavy rains; flood deposits enriched soil

• Summer monsoons from SW - warm air, heavy rains from Indian Ocean

• Winter monsoons from NE - cool, dry air from Asia

B. Monsoons

B. Monsoons

Water a critical factor – too much/too early brought destruction; too little/too late meant famine

20cm = 7.9in

100cm = 39.4in

400cm = 13.2ft

800cm = 26.3ft

1000cm = 32.8ft

B. Monsoons

II . Indus Valley Civilization

2500 BC - Harappan civilization emerged

A. Cities and settlements

1920s: ruins from two large cities found - Harappa and Mohenjo Daro

A. Cities and settlements

Well-planned settlements: streets in grid pattern; community wells; sewage systems

The Great Bath was entered using two wide staircases, one from the north and one from the south. The floor of the tank is watertight due to finely fitted bricks laid on edge with gypsum plaster.

A. Cities and settlementsCitadels, granaries, shrines, etc. suggest centralized government

Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro

Harappa granary

B. Economy

Economy based on agriculture, specialized crafts, and trade

Ceramic sculpture of a small cart with vases and tools pulled by

oxen, from Mohenjo-daro

An artistic conception of the ancient Harappan city of Lothal

C. Society

Standardized tools, weights and measures; writing system not yet deciphered

Seals on products made in Harappa have been found in Mesopotamia, indicating trade between the two regions

C. Society Civilization thrived from about 2500 to 2000 BC; declined for unknown reasons

III. The Vedic PeriodAfter 2000 BC, Aryans ruled most of India; knowledge of them comes from the Vedas

III. The Vedic Period

Regional leaders – rajas - protected people in return for payment

III. The Vedic Period

Vedic society was divided into four varnas

III. The Vedic Period

III. The Vedic Period

Varnas divided into hundreds of castes - determined employment, marriage; etc.

III. The Vedic PeriodPeople prayed to many aspects of single spirit

What began as a celebration of natural elements converted into the worship of cosmic elements, thus forming the triad of the early

Vedic Gods – Agni (Fire), Vayu (Wind) and Surya (the Sun).

III. The Vedic PeriodAs rituals grew more complex, Brahmins gained influence

The god Vishnu and his many avatars. These manifestations are essentially the representation of the deity for some purpose. Each of Vishnu’s avatars is a particular person, representative of a characteristic of the God – birth, death, energy, war, etc.